IP 7 auction: Karn Sharma surprised by Rs 3.75 crore price tag

Karn Sharma always had the confidence after his impressive debut season with Sunrisers Hyderabad that he won’t be disappointed in his maiden auction but little did the 26-year-old know that he will fetch the highest bid among the uncapped players on the second and final day of Indian Premier League (IPL) auctions.

“Well, I wanted someone to bid for me. The moment it happened, I wasn’t really bothered about my price. I knew that Hyderabad will show interest in me but Rs 3.75 crore. I had absolutely no idea that I will get the highest bid,” Karn said in a telephonic chat from his Meerut residence.

“I am delighted but at the same time my responsibility has increased. I have to repay back the faith that Sunrisers have shown in me,” he said.

The Railways leg-spinner feels that Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) showed interest in him as Piyush Chawla was taken by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

“I believe there was a bidding war because Punjab also needed a leg-spinner and Sanju bhai [Sanjay Bangar] was at the bidding table. I have played in Railways under Sanju Bhai’s captaincy and he is aware about my abilities. In any case, more than the price, you want to play matches. Hyderabad had given that opportunity earlier also and I am honoured to return to their fold,” said Karn.

From being a ‘Fitter’ (Grade 3 employee) of the Indian Railways to bagging a multi-crore deal, Karn has come a long way.

“I am proud to play for Railways and never had any complaints with facilities provided to us,” said Karn.

In fact, Karn said that more than him, his siblings were glued to the television set.

“Actually more than me, my brother and sister were watching with a lot of intensity. My mother is a teacher and she was in school and father was in his shop (he is a businessman),” Karn said.

Having opened for Railways across all formats, Karn reckons that he can be called an all-rounder.

“I take my batting very seriously. I have scored a century and six 50′s in Ranji Trophy. I prefer being known as an all-rounder. I am ready to bat up the order if the team management wants me to do so,” says Karn.

Recently, Karn was selected in the probables list for the ICC World T20 2014 although he didn’t make it in the final 15.

“The selection in the probables list for World T20 was a huge boost for me. This meant that selectors are watching my performance. At the end of the day, a player would be known for his performance rather than price,” Karn concluded.

First Published on February 13, 2014, 5:55 pmLast updated on February 14, 2014, 1:15 am